CED Core Mission
Through a Community Consultation Council (CCC), the Community Enagagement & Development (CED) Core will leverage strong links with community partners across Delaware, with an emphasis on Kent and Sussex counties, to support a community needs assessment and broad dissemination of research findings with the potential to impact the health of individuals and communities. The CED Core will offer a menu of community-engaged research consultation and training activities for researchers and students.
A mini-grant program designed to create partnerships between DSU and community partners is available to DSU faculty, students, and community partners. The mini-grants will support implementation and dissemination events and products that will communicate health research findings to communities.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MINI-GRANT Overview
The CED Community Engagement Mini-Grant is designed to initiate, strengthen, or advance partnerships between DSU researchers, faculty, and students and community serving organizations with a goal of expanding and strengthening community engaged research related to addressing health disparities. Click here for more information about the Community Engagement Mini-Grant and the application process:
INFORMATION CAMPAIGN MINI-GRANT OVERVIEW
The CED Information Campaign Mini-Grant supports the distribution of research findings related to health equity. Click here for more information about the Information Campaign Mini-Grants:
Resources
- Kent & Sussex Community Health Profiles Compendium
- My Healthy Communities Delaware
- CED Core Services, Consultations & Additional Resources
Continuum of Community Involvement
Leadership
Dr. Dorothy Dillard
CED Core Lead, CED Core Contact
ddillard [at] desu.edu
The overall goal of Dr. Dillard’s research is to address the entrenched social and health disparities in marginalized communities and groups. For over 35 years, Dr. Dillard has conducted sociological research in both the academic and practice environments, gaining a more informed perspective on the need for translational research. She is committed to bridging the gap between research and practice by partnering with community-serving programs and groups to ensure that community perspectives and needs are equitably integrated into research.
As the Director of the Center for Neighborhood Revitalization and Research (CNRR), Dr. Dillard directly and consistently expands and advances translational research through practice research partnerships. As the Core Lead of the CED Core of the IHER Center, she works with faculty and community-serving organizations to advance community engagement in health disparity research. Her current research focuses on the effect of policies on perpetuating systems and practices that contribute to social and health disparities. Her research has been disseminated in both the research and practice disciplines and focuses on practices and policies that reduce the impact of social and health disparities on individuals and communities.
Dr. Cynthia Newton
CED Core Co-Lead, Faculty Contact
cnewton [at] desu.edu
Dr. Cynthia Newton is currently the Director of Partnerships and Programs for the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, running the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Allied Health Center at DSU. In this role, she forms community partnerships; works with the residents of the low-income community in which the Center is embedded; conducts research; and writes grants to support programs and research. She has nearly 20 years of teaching experience and was a Professor of Political Science at Wesley College prior to her current role.
She has a long-established professional and personal interest in food policy. Her educational background is in Public Affairs, and the policy side of Political Science. Her dissertation research was on obesity as an emerging public policy area. She supplemented traditional academics with certifications in nutrition education, yoga instruction, and personal training. Her current research focuses on food insecurity, and she continues to focus on community engagement. As such, she has given many presentations on various political, health, and social topics.
Mr. Matthew Billie
CED Core Community Liason, Community Contact
mbillie [at] desu.edu
My name is Matthew Billie and I am a part of the sociology department at Delaware State University. I serve as the community liaison for the IHER CED Core and my role involves interfacing with community organizations to facilitate the forming of research partnerships and initiatives. I am passionate about health equity research and research for the betterment of the human population in general.
I have previously worked on identifying health disparities in underserved populations related to the Covid-19 pandemic. I enjoy family time, outdoor activities, and exploring avenues for societal improvements. I look forward to helping improve lives and communities through the IHER Center.
Ms. Dayna Littleton
Grants Administrator
dlittleton [at] desu.edu
My name is Dayna Littleton and I am the Grants Administrator for the IHER Center’s Community Engagement and Dissemination Core (CED) and the Center for Neighborhood Revitalization and Research. We are located off-campus at Capital Park, Dover. My career at DSU has been focused on grants management. I have been working with the RCMI team since it’s fruition.
I grew up in New Haven County, Connecticut where my family resides. I have been in Delaware for 22 years, proudly raising my two daughters. I reside in Smyrna and have enjoyed the small-town community. I look forward to engaging more with our downtown community and volunteering.
Please reach out to me or the team if you should have any questions about the CED Core.
Mr. Zachary Bernard
Graduate Research Assistant, CED Core
zbernard15 [at] students.desu.edu
Zachary Bernard is a Graduate Research Assistant at Delaware State University, specializing in database management within the CED Core of the IHER Center. With a strong background in public service and community engagement, Zachary focuses on improving health and wellness outcomes for underserved communities through data-driven research and collaborative partnerships.
Currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration, Zachary has significant experience in nonprofit leadership and civic activism. As the founder of the Man Bibil Foundation, he plans to implement initiatives that empower communities and foster civic engagement. His work includes spearheading fundraising efforts, navigating regulatory requirements, and building partnerships with nonprofits. Additionally, as a key contributor to the “Hornets in Motion” student organization at Delaware State University, Zachary helped develop the organization’s mission and vision, mobilizing students to contribute over 1,437 volunteer hours to local and national causes. His passion for public service and civic engagement is at the core of his work, and he is dedicated to advancing policies that address social and health disparities in the communities he serves.